Let Go of the Past and Look into the Future
by nsisdazl
Summary: This is the sequel to All Those Years. Go read that before this. A character thought dead comes back to life. Mystery, adventure, romance.
1. Remus's Memory

**Let go of the Past, and Look into the Future**

**Disclaimer: Kristin is mine. MINE. So is the plot. And some other stuff that I'm too lazy to mention.**

**By the way, you must read All Those Years to understand this.**

Was he in the right place? Remus wondered. Diagon Alley was dark, deserted, and gloomy. No one was here except for Tonks and himself. Since the death of Dumbledore, the country had been in chaos. Men and women alike, panicked because the only one Voldemort feared was dead. The whole country had sunk into a stupor, shocked, horrified, and scared. Remus knew it was going to be bad, but he didn't know it was going to be this bad. Soon, if this war didn't end, everyone would forget the meaning of hope and light, become like the very creatures they fought, and no one would resist. Darkness would rule even more thoroughly than before.

"All right, Remus. That's enough brooding and moping." Tonks shoved Remus.

"Mmm…"

Remus's mouth was pulled into a tight, thin line of worry. His already careworn face had newer lines carved into it. Tonks took a sidelong glance at him and thought that if she didn't know Remus was thirty-six, she'd say he was fifty-nine. They rounded the corner and came face-to-face with Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. It was the only bit of color on the mist shrouded street. The signs blinked and gleamed, but there were no customers to attract. Remus peered into the window and saw that it too was deserted. He pushed open the door and entered.

"Oi! Fred! Customers!"

George hurried out of the back. Remus smiled regretfully.

"I only wish it were so."

"Don't listen to him; he's been all morbid and depressed." Tonks said cheerfully.

"Ah, our favorite professor and Metamorphagus! What can I, we, do for you?"

Remus sighed and scrubbed his face.

"I hate to ask this of you, since you're busy with the shop and all…"

"Nonsense! Do you see customers?"

George waved a hand around the empty shop. Remus cracked a smile.

"Congrats, George, you've managed to do the impossible. You've made Remus smile!" Tonks said dryly.

"Such an honor." George swept a low bow.

Remus cleared his throat.

"Back to business. We, that is, the Order of the Phoenix, need your help. Doubtless, your mother will oppose this but you are fully grown now and can make your own decisions. We need members. Would you, and Fred, like to join the Order of Phoenix?"

"FRED! Get your bloody as-butt over here!"

"Sorry, sorry."

Fred hurried out of the back wearing an apron that was smeared with grease and something Remus could not and did not want to identify.

Fred hurriedly wiped his hands on his apron and said, "What did I miss?"

"An offer from the desperate good guys asking if we want to join them. What do you say, Fred?"

"I don't know, George. Would we like to hear all the big secrets and kick Lord I-forgot-his-stupid-name-because-he-has-too-dam-I-mean-dang-many-names's as-butt?"

George struck a noble pose. "To do more than annoy Lord What's-is-name?"

"To strike courage into our fellow Englishmen?"

They looked at each other in mock consideration.

"Then…yes!"

"We would _love_ to!"

"It's a deal!"

Fred grabbed his hand, while George grabbed Tonks's and they enthusiastically pumped it.

"You know where it is, right?"

"Of course. We did spend an entire bloody summer there."

"And a shrieking, spitting, drooling portrait is hard to forget."

"Right. Be there at 4:30."

"All right, but we might be a little late. Lots to pack y'know?"

"Righto, Fred!"

"See you Lupin!"

"Ta-ta!"

"Take care and don't let the Death Eaters and Voldy-somethings bite!"

They vanished into the back and a few seconds later, Remus and Tonks could hear loud machinery, some booms, crashes, yells ("Watch it, Fred!") and general mayhem. With a slight smile, Remus ducked out of the store. Fred and George were a godsend in these times. They knew how to make people laugh, really laugh, and that was a rare gift.

Lost in his thoughts, Remus and Tonks strolled down the deserted street. He was startled out of them by a poke from Tonks and a whisper.

"Remus!"

"What?"

"Someone else is here!"

"Who?"

"I don't know…"

Remus knew what she was implying. Most of the time, people wandering the streets were Death Eaters. And recently, Fred Shear had been murdered. Perhaps this was his murderer. They exchanged a silent conversation with their eyes and swerved their path after the mystery person who was cloaked in black, unremarkable robes. The person heard their footsteps and glanced back. Remus felt his heart stop. That can't be. A part of him screamed. She's dead! The rest of him, the parts that was selfish and wanted another person to share the pain with screamed _Run, run, run_. His body decided to obey. Almost without thinking, Remus broke out into a full out sprint. The second the person heard him, she dashed off like a frightened doe. But Remus was on an adrenaline high and caught up easily in an alleyway. _Please, _please_ be her._ Praying that she wouldn't think to apparate, Remus put on a fresh burst of speed and tackled her. The impact jarred back her hood as she pulled her wand out.

"_Stupe-_Remus?"

Remus managed a wry smile.

"No. It's Remus. But stupe-Remus has a ring to it."

"Well what was _I _supposed to do? In a deserted place that gives me the creeps someone starts running after me and tackles me. What would you have done?"

"Disapparated." Remus replied promptly.

"Oh. I _knew_ there was something I forgot…"

"Remus? Where are you-oh. What are you doing lying on top of her?"

"Good question. Remus, get off of me."

"Sorry. Got a little carried away there."

"Understatement of the century." She replied cheerfully.

Remus clambered to his feet and helped her up.

"Introduce me please, Remus." She ordered.

"Right. This is Nymphadora Tonks. Tonks, this is Kristin Yami."

Kristin stuck her hand out. "Nice to meet you Tonks."

Tonks shook it with a grin.

"How did you do it?" Tonks asked.

"Do what?"

"It took me roughly a year to get him to accept me as his girlfriend, but the moment he sees _you_, he runs after you and tackles you to the ground."

"That's because I'm _irresistible_."

Kristin struck a haughty pose. Then she and Tonks broke into peals of laughter.

"You're never going to let me live this down are you?" Remus asked dryly.

"Why bother asking? You know me, you know her, surely you know?"

"Just seeing if you have a drop of mercy in you."

"Well I don't."

Remus snorted with laughter.

"Wait. _Girlfriend_?!" Kristin cried in shock.

"What? You thought a werewolf couldn't attract anyone?" Remus snapped, annoyed by her tone.

"_No_." She shot back. "I surprised you'd even think that of me. What I meant was that I am surprised that you let her get close to you. You probably put up some pathetic excuses like 'I'm too dangerous! I'm too poor!' And poor dear, since you never attended school during our years, he probably said something along the lines of 'I'm too old! Go get someone rich, boring, and young.'"

Tonks shook her head.

"I had to shake some sense into him." She informed Kristin.

"Tut, tut. Men these days. Either lower than dirt or so noble and 'I must take on the entire world's pain as my own' self-sacrificing. Back in _my _days (Okay. That made me feel old), we had a nice variety of boys. Arrogant idiots, noble self-sacrificers, timid cuties, bad-yet-good boys, the darling sweet I-have-suffered-so-much-and-yet-came-out-so-strong-and-character-developed-that-you-just-fall-madly-in-love-with-mes, the all around good guys, the 'bad boys', the quiet ones, the mean-but-if-you-break-through-my-shell-I'll-become-sweet-to-you-and-only-you-just-like-those-sappy-romance-stories-and-we'll-have-many-beautiful-children-the-ends, the list goes on and on and on and on and on and on and—"

"We get the point Kristin." Remus raised a hand.

"So, when's the wedding?"

Remus choked. "_Wedding_?"

"Yes. Surely you were planning to get married? I mean, Lily did drive me crazy with the plans, but I remember the floral arrangements, the dresses, catering…"

Tonks looked as horrified as Remus did. Kristin caught sight of Remus's expression and laughed.

"Saint Remus is afraid of commitment!"

"Err…"

Remus cast desperately for a topic and found one. He seized it eagerly.

"Why aren't you dead, Kristin?"

Remus winced as the words left his mouth. Not the best choice of topics. Tonks cast him a shocked look. Kristin drew herself up, affronted.

"_I_? Dead? Impossible! I would annoy Death so much that it would throw me back into life just so it could get rid of me."

"That sounds just like you."

Kristin ignored this and gazed around Diagon Alley.

"What's going on? Why is it all deserted? This place is _always_ jam packed."

Remus's eyes widened.

"You don't know?"

"Hello?" Kristin waved her arms around for emphasis. "Been out of touch for seventeen years? Tell, tell, tell."

Remus's mouth formed the words "out of touch for seventeen years" then he gaped at her, mouth working soundlessly.

"One little werewolf fishy, two little werewolf fishy…Do close your mouth Lupin. Not only is it unbecoming, it is also the perfect opportunity for a bug to fly into your mouth." She said primly, sounding much like their Drama teacher.

When he didn't respond, Kristin rambled on.

"I expect Harry'll be seventeen now. Do Lily and James have another child? What about Voldemort? Is he defeated yet? And Sirius, has he commit—no. This is Sirius we're talking about. Alice and Frank, they have children right? What's-is-name-Newton? Nero? Nathan? I know it begins with an n…"

"Kristin." Remus interrupted gently.

She blinked at him. "Yes?"

"This isn't the right place." He said, glancing around nervously, ignoring the part of his mind that whispered _coward_. He pulled out the slip of paper that he had meant for Fred and George. Remus gave it to Kristin.

"Be there at five. As soon as you memorize it, destroy it. Good-bye."

"But—"

CRACK! Remus disapparated. Tonks raised an eyebrow.

"If he trusts you, so do I."

Tonks nodded briskly in farewell, before disapparating. Kristin sighed and shook her head. She glanced down at the paper in her hand. Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Remus slumped against the door, breathing hard. Kristin. Kristin was alive. He could not believe it. _Next thing you know_, he thought sourly, _Sirius will come back from the dead._ Stop. Remus shook his head. Sirius was dead, all evidence pointed to that. However, Kristin…there were too many loose ends in _her_ story. Only he and Voldemort had fallen for her story that she was dead, even if it was never _specifically_ said. His mind took him back to the night she left.

**"Well aren't you a big boy?" Twenty year old Kristin Yami cooed up at a gurgling Harry. "Yes you are. Oh, yes you are." **

**"I resent you treating my son like a dog." James said loftily. **

**"Consider it a compliment." Sirius suggested. "After all, **_**I **_**am a dog, and look how I turned out." **

**"Oh dear." Remus snickered. "Your son is cursed. It's a double insult, James. Both a dog **_**and**_** Sirius?" **

**Kristin was absorbed in the baby. "Peek-a-boo!" Harry clapped and giggled. **

**"What was his first word?" Kristin asked. **

**"Mum." James said sullenly. **

**"Figures." Kristin laughed. **

**"Pa-foo! Moo-ee! Da!" Harry commanded. **

**Lily snorted as she entered the living room from the kitchen to see the three men come forward obediently at his command. **

**"UP!" Harry cried. Remus reached him first, picked it up, and bounced him. Kristin came over to try and convince Harry to say "Kristin". **

**"Kristin. Say Kristin." **

**"K-k-k-k-Pa-foo!" **

**"No, say 'Kristin'." **

**"K-k-k-k-Moo-ee!" **

**"Kristin!" **

**"K-ki-ki-Moo-ee!" **

**"Kristin!" **

**"Moo-ee." **

**"Congrats, Remus. The kid has a fascination with you." Kristin said grumpily. Then she brightened. "Since Harry loves you so much and all, I bet if **_**you**_** told him to say 'Kristin' he'd listen." **

**Remus raised an eyebrow. **

**"You are **_**very**_** inexperienced with kids." He informed her. "Especially little ones. They do whatever they want, not what someone else tells them to do. And I'll prove it." **

**Remus turned to Harry. **

**"Say Kristin." He cooed. **

**"Moo-ee!" Harry clapped his hands together in obvious delight and let out a chirrupy laugh. **

**The others joined in and an irate Kristin muttered, "Don't see what's so funny." **

**"Kiss-moo-ee?" Harry wondered. Then his expression cleared and he shouted out at the top of his (very) formidable lungs, "**_**KISS-MOO-EE**_**!" **

**Kristin exchanged an uncomfortable look with Remus as Sirius and James roared with laughter. When he recovered, Sirius gasped out, "You heard the tyke! Kiss Moony!" **

**"Err…he didn't mean that." Remus said quickly. **

**"**_**KISS-MOO-EE!**_**" Harry spoke louder. **

**"No doubt about it." James grinned. **

**"I bet that if you kiss Moony, Harry'll say Kristin." Sirius said. **

**"KISS-MOO-EE!" **

**"He's getting upset, quick Kristin, kiss Moony!" **

**Kristin scowled at Sirius and muttered that he belonged at the pound. **

**"That wasn't too nice." Sirius said cheerfully, and conjured some popcorn to "Watch the show." He muttered to James. **

**Kristin glared at the smirking Harry. **

**"Evil child, spawn of the devil! Black and Potter have obviously corrupted your sweet childish innocence. I feel sorry for Lily, surrounded by such boys." **

**"We are men, not boys!" James protested. **

**Kristin ignored him as she wheeled back around to face Remus. **

**"All right Remus. How do you want to do this?" **

**"Wait. Why are we doing this?" Remus held up his hands. **

**"Oh? Do you have a problem with kissing me?" **

**"No, er, of course not, that is, but—" **

**Sirius snorted into his popcorn as the red-faced stuttering Remus was backed into a corner by a menacing Kristin. **

**"I am **_**doing **_**this because I am desperate for that wicked, malevolent, sinful, malicious, cruel, mean, nasty, fiendish, terrible, dreadful, awful, atrocious, appalling child to say my name." **

**Kristin jabbed her finger into his chest. "Good enough reason for you? Or am I that repulsive?" **

**There was really only one way to answer without getting decapitated. **

**"Er, it's, ah, er, um, yeah, a good, sure, uhh, reason." Remus stuttered. **

**"James. Witness a historical moment. Our cool, sure, laidback, calm, logical, smart Moony is as jittery and nervous as a fifteen year old getting his first kiss." **

**James snorted with amusement. "Lily! You might want to watch this." **

**"Coming." **

**Together, Lily, James, Sirius, Peter, and Harry watched as Remus took deep breaths to calm himself down, nearly hyperventilated, and then choked as Kristin slapped him across the face to snap him out of his hysteria. **

**"Remus! Calm down!" She ordered. **

**"I've never seen him this nervous." Sirius remarked. "Maybe he **_**luuurrrvvvssss**_** you Kristin." **

**"And maybe I'll **_**kiiiiiiiiick**_** you where it hurts." **

**"Ma!" A frustrated Harry snapped. "When Kiss-tin a Moo-ee kiss-ee?" **

**"I don't know Harry." Lily remarked absently. "Wait, what! Did he just say Kristin?!" **

**"Yes! He did!" Kristin said excitedly. **

**"That's the most I've ever heard him say!" James said , even more excited. "Say, Lily. What if kissing makes you smarter?" **

**"That'll explain why **_**you**_** got smarter." Lily said dryly. "Merlin knows you've done it enough." **

**"You can calm down now, Remus." Kristin said calmly, patting Remus on the back. "Harry's said my name." **

**"Good." Remus rasped out. He plonked himself exhaustedly down on the couch. **

**"Let's test it out!" James grabbed a protesting Lily and bent her back dramatically. A full out snogfest ensued. **

**"See the technique?" Sirius said boredly. "He's positioned himself so that Lily cannot do anything but kiss him back and melt in his arms. You should pay attention, Remus. You never know when this might come in handy." **

**"Ah, yes." Remus said sarcastically. "If a Death Eater comes, I'll render her helpless by snogging her." **

**Peter let out a laugh. **

**"Or him." He pointed out. **

**Remus shuddered. Harry wrinkled his nose in disgust. **

**"Eww…" he said pointing at his mum and dad snogging. **

**Kristin, Sirius, Remus, and Peter broke out into peals of laughter. When they recovered, they found an entangled Lily and James staring at them oddly. **

**"Harry said eww and pointed to you." Peter managed to gasp out. **

**James wheeled on an innocently smiling Harry. **

**"It's because of us snogging that you're here, son!" He bellowed. **

**"Isn't it a bit early to be teaching him about the birdies and the beesies?" Kristin wondered. **

**Harry looked up at James and artfully let his lips quiver and his eyes well up. **

**"Now don't cry…" James said helplessly. **

**He turned to Lily for help. **

**"You made him cry, you make him stop." Lily said firmly. **

**With a sigh, James plucked Harry up and rocked him, James's back to the rest. Harry poked his face over James's shoulder and smiled a truly evil smile. Remus had to laugh. James wheeled around. **

**"What are you laughing at?" He demanded, eyes narrowed. **

**"Nothing." Remus smirked. **

**"So who's his godmother?" Kristin asked, reaching over and tickling Harry. **

**"You are." The four marauders and Lily said in unison. **

**Kristin's delighted smile nearly blinded them. **

**"Did you hear that? Did you?" Kristin cooed at Harry. "Kristin is your godmother!"**

**"Have mercy." Sirius muttered. **

**"What was that?" Kristin snapped. **

**"Nothing." Sirius smiled innocently, but wasn't able to pull it off as flawlessly as Harry could. **

**"Somehow, I don't believe you." Kristin marched over scowling. **

**"Err…" **

**Sirius looked around for something to hide behind but found nothing. As a last resort, Sirius turned into a dog. Kristin's scowl twitched. **

**"Doggy!" Harry cried happily, reaching for Sirius. **

**Sirius woofed and reared back onto his hind legs. **

**Down, boy!" Kristin ordered. **

**Immediately Sirius went back to all fours. Then he appeared to think about what he had just done. **

**"Dog instincts just a **_**little**_** too strong for you to overcome?" Kristin taunted. "Or is it that Lily has you well trained?" **

**Sirius managed to give Kristin a nasty look. James put Harry down and he half-toddled and half-crawled to Sirius. Sirius sat patiently as Harry leaned on him for support as he pulled his fur. **

**"Doggy." Harry giggled. **

**"It must be wonderful to have Sirius." Kristin commented as she watched Sirius rolling on the floor with Harry. "Harry can play with him and you don't have to worry about Sirius being to rough." **

**"Yeah, Sirius is a godsend. When he isn't eating me out of the house. When he isn't drunk. When he isn't shedding. When he isn't scratching on the door. When he—" **

**Sirius interrupted her with a bark. **

**"Oh you know it's true so don't lie to me." **

**Sirius whined, laid down, and covered his eyes with his paws. **

**"Don't try that with me!" **

**"Aww…isn't he cute." Kristin cooed. **

**"Don't fall for it Kristin! Last time it happened, he took Harry to a tattoo parlor and nearly gave him a tattoo before I caught him." **

**"You never told me about that!" James exclaimed. **

**"That's because Fido here," Lily gestured at a whimpering Sirius who wagged his tail. "did his little 'I'm a pathetic cute adorable doggy' pose and I conveniently forgot until now." **

**Gurgling, Harry climbed onto Sirius's back, causing him to yelp with each handful that was pulled, but he still stood still. James was glaring at Sirius. **

**"How could you be so irresponsible, immature, unthinking," Lily smirked as Sirius cowered. "to go without me!" **

**Lily's mouth dropped open. Sirius bounded to his feet, careful not to spill the burden on his back, and did a little prance. Kristin snorted. **

**"You thought he was going to be on your side?" **

**Lily heaved an I-hoped-for-it-so-damned-hard-and-now-I-know-there-is-now-no-chance-in-hell-so-whatever-I-give-up-and-this-is-a-very-long-name-for-a-sigh sigh. Kristin snorted again. **

**"Doesn't she have to sign some form about being a godmother?" Remus said after a minute. **

**Lily slapped her forehead. **

**"So **_**that's**_** what I forgot! Accio document!" **

**A very official looking document fluttered down from upstairs and landed neatly in Lily's hand. "Here you go." Kristin looked down and read.**

**I, ****Kristin Yami,**** am willing to take ****Harry Potter**** under my wing, in the event that ****Lily Potter**** and ****James Potter**** are unable to take care of the above. I am also willing to assume a role of parentage with ****Sirius Black****. If I sign this form, I will become ****Harry Potter's**** godmother.**

"**Oh. Lily, there's a problem. I can't 'take Harry Potter under my wing in the event that Lily and James Potter are unable to take care of the above.' I guess that means I can't be his godmother." Kristin said sadly. **

**"Why not?" Lily demanded. **

**"Dumbledore's informed me that Voldemort is after us next." **

**Kristin smiled sheepishly. "I guess putting up posters and handing out flyers that said in big, bold letters, 'Voldemort: An Idiot Who Contradicts Himself' isn't a way to get onto his favorites list." **

**"Wait, what?!" They all demanded. **

**"Dumbledore recommended to stop producing them, so not many people saw them." **

**Kristin reached into her robes and pulled out a flyer that indeed read, "Voldemort: An Idiot Who Contradicts Himself". Remus's eyes scanned the flyer. **

_**Voldemort is an extremist who claims that he wants to rid the earth of muggleborn filth. BUT IS IT TRUE? Research shows that many that die are purebloods that resist Voldemort. The rest are, indeed, muggleborn, and were killed by torture. Also, Voldemort claims that purebloods are the only ones worthy of anything. Yet Voldemort himself is a halfblood. Half of his blood is a muggle with no magic, the other half an inbred, insane, beggared line from Slytherin. By his own laws, Voldemort should be serving the countless purebloods that support him, not the other way around. So his motives are something more sinister. STOP SUPPORTING VOLDEMORT BECAUSE HE ISN'T DOING WHAT HE CLAIMS HE IS.**_

**—Kristin Yami**

"**No wonder he wants to kill you." Sirius commented, Harry still on his back. **

**"But it's a hundred percent true." Kristin said grimly. **

**"Well, I don't care." Lily declared. "You are still his godmother, whether you have to go under cover or not. So sign." **

**"But—" **

**"Sign." **

**"If I do, and anything happens to you, you know you're turning him over to the tender loving care of Sirius Black." Kristin warned. **

**"As I'm well aware." **

**Lily shoved a quill and ink into Kristin's hands. Kristin signed with a flourish. **

**"I have to go." Kristin said reluctantly. "It was a risk coming here in the first place." **

**"Good bye Kristin." **

**Lily and Kristin hugged each other. Kristin smiled at James and told him to take care of Harry. She waved at Peter and Sirius kissed her on the cheek. Remus could tell Kristin was seriously considering hurting Sirius but refrained because Harry said, "Up, kiss-tin." Kristin picked him up, spun him around, and said bye. Then Kristin came over and hugged Remus tightly and told him to watch over everyone, seeing as she wouldn't be here to do it herself and there was no one else she'd trust more. Kristin turned and headed toward the door. **

**"Wait!" Peter cried. "Where are you going?" **

**"Dumbledore said not to tell anyone." Kristin said apologetically. **

**"Goodbye everyone." Kristin disapparated. **

**"Goodbye Kristin." Remus whispered. **

**MMMMMMMMMKKKKKKKKKKKKKKPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL**

**You might think this is long but the rough draft had it going to about 13 ½ more pages paper wise (It would have been longer computer wise) and I think 12 pages on the computer is enough. Besides, I hate typing for such a long time. Please review, otherwise I feel unappreciated. When I feel unappreciated, I don't feel like typing-writing. Oh and yes I know that in Chapter nine of All Those Years, Kristin is attacked. You will see what happened. Eventually.**

**nsisdazl **

Next Chapter (If I'm patient enough to type this much): Remus tells Kristin all that's happened, Harry finds out Kristin is godmother, and a flashback to show how Lily, Kristin, Evelaire, Agatha, and Christi found out about the werewolf.


	2. Kristin's Memory

**You see all this?**

**Don't take it amiss,**

**Nothing is mine,**

**But for the divine,**

**Kristin who's hot,**

**And part of MY plot.**

**J.K. Rowling, yep that's her!**

_**She's**_** the one who created Potter.**

**A.N. No, **_**I **_**don't think Kristin is hot (no offense to her) but, heck, it rhymed.**

**Previously:**_ Remus discovered Kristin has been alive all these years and knows nothing of what has happened. He promises to tell her everything at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Remus has a flashback to the day Kristin left to go into hiding._

Remus felt a tear slipping down his face. Kristin was a living, breathing reminder of the days when the Marauders ruled the school with the "Sexy Singles", Vincis that could change their appearance within an instant existed, so many would-be Death Eaters still good, Dumbledore watching over them all, Voldemort non-existent, golden, sunshine touched, carefree days, and Prongs, Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail all together, best friends forever, swearing to die for each other and be brothers till the end. _That was then, this is now_. Remus thought bleakly. The Vincis gone, more people swelling the Death Eater ranks out of fear, the Marauders a distant memory, and Dumbledore gone, gone, gone. _But Kristin's here_, he reminded himself, _and she's expecting you at Number 12 Grimmauld Place at five. So clean yourself up and get ready to tell Kristin that her best friend, James, Sirius, and Dumbledore are dead, Peter was the betrayer, and Alice and Frank have been tortured until they went insane._ Remus sighed and raced his hand through his hair. He had one hell of an emotional experience to go through tonight.

He swung himself up and selected the least tattered robe of his limited wardrobe. Then he went downstairs to grab some Order papers before Disapparating. Remus arrived at Grimmauld Place at precisely 4:23. He cursed under his breath. Reminiscing took its toll. Remus disabled the wards and stepped into the gloomy hall. The house was basically silent, except for the murmur of voices from the kitchen and creaks upstairs from the children. He walked to the kitchen door and entered.

"Harry! Ron! Ginny! _How_ many times do I have to tell you that you _cannot_—Oh. Hello Remus. Sorry. Thought you were Harry, Ron, or Ginny. The number of times I've had to chase them away from the kitchen…" Molly Weasley let out an embarrassed laugh.

"I gathered as much." Remus said with a wry smile.

Charlie Weasley muffled a snort.

Minerva cleared her throat to get attention.

"Remus, do you know where Tonks has gone? We thought she was with you."

Remus's brow crinkled. "I haven't seen her since…"

His throat closed up. Kristin…what if she wasn't really who she appeared to be? What if it was a Death Eater that now had access to the Order Headquarters? He had been really stupid just to trust her immediately. Plenty of Death Eaters that went to school with them were alive. Was he _that_ desperate for one of his friends? And Tonks…_ He had Disapparated, leaving Tonks alone with her/him._ Damn.

"Have Fred and George arrived yet?" He asked mechanically.

"No." Molly Weasley replied. "Why should they?"

"Remus? Is there something you'd like to tell us?" Minerva asked, her voice surprisingly gentle.

"Hmm…" He distractedly replied.

Remus missed the significant looks Molly and Minerva sent each other.

"It's a common thing in new couples." Molly said soothingly.

"What?" Remus asked, puzzled.

"Especially one with such an age difference."

"That is not Order business." Moody interrupted with a grimace. "Women." He added in an undertone to Remus. "Bloody crazy all of 'em. Can't be trusted…"

What they were implying sunk in suddenly.

"Oh, no, no, no, no." Remus laughed. "We did _not_ have a fight." He reassured them. "It's something _else_ I'm worried about."

"What?" Moody asked sharply.

Remus did not reply, lost in his own thoughts. He was staring off into space imaging the numerous tortures Tonks might be going through, how to tell a paranoid ex-Auror that he slipped, how to tell the Order that they'd have to move headquarters, and how he'd fillet the Death Eater that caused him so much pain in giving him hope that Kristin was still alive only to snatch it away cruelly with Tonks and the Headquarters. The door opening and closing made him look up. The Order was staring at him and Fred and George had entered. When Remus wondered why Molly wasn't scolding, he noticed that she was staring at him in worry as all the others were doing. _We have to leave._ His mind told him. _The Death Eaters will come at 5 or earlier._ But a tiny stubborn, trusting, hopeful part of him told him to wait and see. _If this is really Kristin, I'll gut her for giving me more white hairs._ 4:51. Tonks arrived. Remus bounded over to her and gave her a relieved hug.

"Well this is a nice welcome." Tonks said, her voice muffled by his robes. "What did I do to deserve it?"

Remus muttered a noncommittal noise, to busy drinking in her scent of strawberries, clean robes, rain, and lemon.

"What was that?" Tonks asked.

"I said 'Because you aren't locked up somewhere in Voldemort's torture chambers, being tortured, and for being in one piece, and for giving me more hope that Kristin is who she seemed she was."

"Erm…I'll pretend I understand what you're going on about." Tonks said shoving her head back on his chest.

"Aww…Young love." Fred cheerfully put in.

"Don't they make a cute couple?" George said wickedly.

Tonks sent a nasty look at them. Remus felt an ounce of hope. Maybe Kristin was just…Kristin. That still didn't quiet the nagging corner of his mind that said, _maybe Death Eater Kristin had decided to let Tonks go free for now._

Promptly at five, the doorbell rang and awoke…_dun dun dun_ the one, the only, put your hands over your ears for…_The portrait of Sirius Black's mum!_

"_**BLOOD TRAITORS, HALF BREEDS, MUDBLOODS, FILTH, SLIME, DIRTYING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS, NOT FIT TO SEE THE SHADOW OF PUREBLOODS, HOW **_**DARE**_** YOU COME IN AND ACT AS IF YOU OWN THIS HOUSE!**_"

Remus groaned and covered his ears. That thing was such a pain. He quickly went to the door. Surely if it were Death Eaters they wouldn't bother ringing the doorbell… Remus opened the door and found a soaked Kristin Yami on the doorstep. Rain, thunder, and lightning were crashing down around her, and she looked absolutely miserable.

"Lovely weather isn't it?" She muttered. "Why, I can hear the birds singing, the children playing, and I see the sun shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky."

Remus covered a smile, and gestured for her to come in. _If she's a Death Eater, she's doing one heck of a good job with impersonating her._ Kristin stepped into the house and a puddle immediately formed at her feet.

"Great. Just lovely. The décor is beautiful. I love what you've done to the house. It takes great skill and taste to decorate the house with such, such, such, er, darkness. And the classical music just falls delicately on your ears. Where did you get it? I must make a note to avoid the place."

"Insult the house all you want. No one likes it."

Kristin stood there awkwardly, arms swinging by her sides as everyone tried to inspect her face in the semidarkness.

"What are we all standing here for? Let's move into the kitchen." Molly said cheerfully.

"One of us should shut the portraits up." Remus said wearily. Too often, _he_ was the one to quiet them.

"The one that's screaming the loudest sounds a lot like that Howler Sirius got in first year." Kristin commented over "_**FILTH, MUCK, SLIME**_"

"It's the same person." Remus said grimly. "You go on ahead." He said tiredly. "I'll take care of this."

"Wait wait wait. _I _was the one to set her off wasn't I? Well, I should help shut her up."

Without waiting for the objections Remus was about to voice, Kristin pranced off toward the portraits. With a groan, he followed. The Order glanced at each other, raised their eyebrows, and then followed.

"So how are you going to do this? Ask her nicely to shut up?" Remus said sarcastically.

Kristin shot him a nasty look.

"Don't tempt me." She grumbled.

The portrait was still howling.

_**"BY PRODUCTS OF VILE AND SCUM" **_

Kristin's eye began to twitch.

"Uh-oh." Remus muttered to himself. "Bad sign. Very bad sign."

_**"WORTHLESS, INSIGNIFICANT, MEANINGLESS, PATHETIC, WRETCHED" **_A temple began to throb on Kristin's forehead. "Shut up." Remus pleaded to the raving portrait.

"_**FILTHY HALFBREED HOW**_**DARE**_** YOU ORDER ME AS IF YOUR LOWLY MIXED BLOOD COULD EVEN **_**DREAM**_** TO EQUAL MINE! YOUR KIND SHOULD BE ERADICATED YOU DISGUSTING—" **_

Kristin snapped.

"**WILL YOU **_**SHUT UP**_** YOU AWFUL, DREADFUL, APPALING, UNPLEASANT, HORRENDOUS, ATROCIOUS, VILE, GHASTLY, FRIGHTFUL, WICKED, DEPRAVED, **_**PORTRAIT?!**_

_**YOU**_** ARE THE ONE NOT FIT TO CLEAN THE MOST GRUESOME, DISGUSTING THING ON EARTH, AND YOU'RE NOT ENTITLED TO HAVING AN OPINION SEEING AS YOU'RE **_**DEAD**_**, AND MADE OF OILS, TEMPURAS, AND CANVAS, AND DON'T EVEN HAVE A **_**BRAIN**_

**YOU'RE CALLING PEOPLE 100 MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN YOURSELF, **_**BLOOD TRAITORS,MUDBLOODS **_**AND **_**HALFBREEDS**_

**CAN'T YOU EVEN THINK OF BETTER INSULTS?! **

**OR HAS INBREEDING AFFECTED YOUR ABILITY TO THINK? **

**IF YOU CAN'T KEEP QUIET, I'LL BURN THIS PART OF THE HOUSE DOWN, SEE IF I DON'T. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAVE A PERMANENT STICKING CHARM, IT CAN'T RESIST FIRE. **

**SO STOP TEMPTING ME, CAUSE I'M ABOUT TO SET THIS HORRIBLE HOUSE THAT YOU'RE SO DAMN PROUD ON FIRE. I DON'T EVEN SEE WHY YOU ARE SO PROUD OF IT BECAUSE IT IS FILTHY, DISGUSTING, AND DOESN'T HAVE AN OUNCE OF WORTH IN IT. **_**IS THAT CLEAR?!**_"

Kristin slammed the curtains shut around the portrait shut and took a deep breath. She spun around and blinded Remus with a huge grin.

"That was very stress relieving."

"I see." Remus said dryly.

"Can you?" She retorted.

"That was _amazing_."

Kristin and Remus glanced up to see Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione looking down at them from the staircase.

"You've managed to scream loud enough so that all London, no England, could hear you." Ron continued.

"Err…Thanks?"

"Who are you?"

"Ron!" Hermione hissed. "That was _rude_."

"That's a question we'd all like answered, Lupin." Moody growled behind him.

"Go back to your rooms." He told them. "This is Order business."

Casting extremely miffed looks down at them, they turned on their heels and stormed away. Kristin's eyes were on Harry's retreating back.

"Was that…?" She murmured.

"Come on." Remus grabbed her and dragged her into the kitchen.

No sense in trusting her until she had proven without a doubt that she was who she said she was. He sat her down in the kitchen and the Order pulled up chairs around her.

"So…anyone want to tell me why I'm being treated like a common criminal?" Kristin asked.

"Your questions will be answered later." Moody barked out.

Molly went around the kitchen lighting candles and putting Imperturbable Charms on the door. The moment there was sufficient enough light, Minerva, Hestia, and Emmeline all gasped simultaneously.

"Kristin?" They cried.

"Well, duh. What do I look like, a chair?" She retorted.

"You're looking a bit wooden around the edges." Remus informed her.

"Thanks. As reassuring as ever."

"Will someone tell me who this person is, why she is here, and why you are so shocked that this is 'Kristin?'"

"Hello. I'm Kristin Yami. I went to school with Lily, James, Sirius, Peter, Remus, Emmeline, and Hestia. Minerva was one of my teachers. As for the big deal…an uncommon amount of people seemed to have thought I was dead." Kristin laughed.

"You do realize, since we no longer have Veritserum, we are going to have to question you to confirm you are who you say you are?"

"Erm…why do you need to do that?"

"Has she always been simple, or is this a recent development?" Moody asked.

"She claims to have been in hiding for seventeen years." Remus interjected.

Kristin turned sad eyes on him.

"You don't believe I'm me, do you?" She asked softly. "Very well then. Ask your questions. But I'd doubt that anyone will believe me if I answer, 'No, I'm not under the imperious curse' or 'No, I'm not here to spy or whatever on you.'"

"Right now, the main issue is if you are who you say you are."

"I see." Kristin paused. "How will you see if I am who I say I am?"

Moody growled, "Lupin here will ask you a question he thinks only the real you will know the answer to. If you answer wrong…"

He shrugged.

"Fine. Remus ask a question."

"I live at your command." He grumbled. "All right. When did you first find out I was a werewolf?"

Kristin rolled her eyes.

"Of all the cliché, overused questions you could have asked, it had to be

that one. Okay, I began suspecting in second through third year as your pathetic excuses for missing our study groups began to wear thin. I fueled my suspicions when I checked my astronomy chart and saw you were gone every full moon. But I never really found out until in fifth year…"

**Flashback or memory or whatever you want to call it**

**"So we're actually going to take up Orlan's stupid dare?" Evelaire asked incredulously. **

**"Yep." Lily replied absently, checking her pack for any missing items. **

**"Come on Ev-ah-lay! It'll be fun!" Kristin said airily. **

**"The Whomping Willow? Fun?" squeaked Evelaire. "Am I the only sane one here?" **

**"No, Agatha and I are perfectly sane, we're just curious about this 'passageway' Orlan 'happened to see' when he was playing 'touch the willow'. And it **_**will**_** be fun to prove to that cowardly idiot that girls are tougher than boys." Christi replied. **

**"Uh-huh." Evelaire crossed her arms. "Say we're going to do it." **

**"We are, whether you like it or not." Agatha said coolly. **

**Evelaire ignored Agatha as she had learned to do four years ago. **

**"How are we going to do it without being caught by professors and Filch?" **

**"Good question." Kristin hefted her pack on her back and flashed a "no worries" grin at her. "That's what'll make it **_**extra**_** fun." **

**"Alice!" Evelaire cried. "Back me up!" **

**"Sorry." Alice sent her an apologetic smile. "I've been roped in by the masters of manipulation and persuasion, Kristin and Lily." **

**Evelaire gave up on her and followed them out muttering rebelliously, "What, getting hit by a tree called a 'Whomping' willow for a reason not fun enough?" **

**Kristin heard her and laughed. "I know a way past the willow without getting hit. Spying on the 'Marauders' is really useful." **

**"Hmph."**

**Out on the Grounds**

**Miraculously, (and much to Evelaire's private disappointment and disbelief) they had managed to get past Filch and the teachers. Kristin marched purposefully toward the willow. **

**"Stand back." Kristin warned. **

**She grabbed a stick and prodded a knot on the tree. She confidently stepped forward, and much to everyone's shock, the tree didn't move. **

**"Well? Come on." **

**Cautiously, Lily, Agatha, Christi, Evelaire, and Alice moved forward to peer within the passageway. **

**"I wonder where it leads to." Alice said. **

**"Probably to a den full of hungry wolves." Evelaire muttered. **

**"My dear Evelaire," Kristin slung an arm around her. "I thought it was Agatha who was the pessimistic one." **

**Agatha glared at her. **

**"Let's go down." Lily said hastily. "After all, we're spending the night."**

**In the Shrieking Shack**

**"What was that?" Remus's head shot up. **

**"What?" Sirius's head joined Remus's. **

**"I don't hear anything." James and Peter protested. **

**"That thump!" **

**"Probably just the ghosts." Sirius dismissed. **

**Remus smacked him. "You know those are fake." **

**"I know. There was this really gruesome one I heard about in the Hog's Head…" **

**James smacked Sirius. "You were the one who made that up." **

**"I'm just protecting Remus's secret identity." Sirius protested.**

**Lily**

**"**_**Ow! Kristin!**_**" Lily hissed. **

**"Sorry." **

**Thump. **

**"**_**Ow, Evelaire!**_**" **

**"Sorry." **

**"Let's move out of the way before Agatha or Christi bumps into us next. I don't think my body could take the trauma." **

**Laughing quietly, the four girls moved out of the way as Agatha, then Christi slid down the passageway. **

**"Not much of a place to spend the night." Christi said scornfully, looking down her nose at the disordered, dusty room with paint peeling off the walls, and stains on the floor. **

**All the furniture was broken, and the windows boarded up. A door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. **

**"Wait!" Evelaire squeaked in fear. **

**She clutched Alice's shoulder tightly. **

**"Isn't this **_**the Shrieking Shack?!**_**" **

**Kristin jerked a bit. **

**"Gods, I think it is." She murmured. **

**She had gone slightly pale. **

**"Not afraid are you, Yami?" Agatha jeered. **

**Kristin whipped her gaze to her and scowled. **

**"**_**No.**_**" She snapped. **

**Kristin pointed at a chair with a chunk taken out of it. **

**"Not exactly the work of ghosts, now is it? I was a bit surprised, that's all." **

**"Good." **

**With a satisfied expression, Agatha crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back into the shadows. Lily wondered if that was evidence that Agatha was an expert manipulator. After all, she had just manipulated Kristin into being tough; if Kristin had lost confidence, everyone would have gone back and Agatha's curiosity would have gone unsatisfied. The more Lily thought about it, the more sense it made. **

**"Let's explore." Alice said excitedly. **

**They crept out into the hall and up the crumbling stairs. When you were in a potentially haunted house, one was quiet at all times, lest you attract unwanted attention. When they reached the dark landing, Kristin, who was in the lead, spun around to the rest of them and hissed, "Hush!" **

**She pointed down the hall to the only door that had light shining out underneath it. They walked as silently as they could toward the door and pressed their ears against it. They could not determine **_**what**_** the people inside were saying, but as for **_**who**_**… **

**"James Potter." Lily snarled. **

**"And his posse." Kristin added cheerfully. **

**"They shouldn't be here!" Lily snapped in quiet outrage. "They'll get detention for this!" **

**Adjusting the prefect badge on her chest with one hand, and reaching for the doorknob with the other, Lily looked delighted with her first chance of getting the Marauders in trouble and wielding prefect power. Alice and Kristin exchanged looks. **

**"Err…Lily?" **

**"What?" **

**"**_**We**_** shouldn't be here either." Kristin pointed out. **

**Lily's face fell. **

**"Oh." **

**Then it cleared. **

**"Well that doesn't mean I can't find out what they're doing!" **

**Lily walked forward purposefully and opened the door.**

**ninininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininininini**

**James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter looked up from playing Exploding Snap at the sound of the door opening. **

**"**_**Evans**_**?" James gasped in shock. **

**"And her posse." Sirius added. **

**"Funny." Kristin drawled, leaning casually against the doorway. "I had just called you all the very same thing." **

**Sirius winked at her. **

**"You know what they say," he remarked to the ceiling. "Great minds think alike." **

**Kristin mock-gasped. **

**"Black! You have actually said something intelligent! You have put me in a spot where I must either compliment you or insult myself!" **

**"I don't see how—" Evelaire complained, but was cut off by Christi. **

**"It's rather **_**obvious**_**, don't you think? I mean, if she agrees, she'll acknowledge that he is great, if she disagrees she's insulting herself by saying that she is not great." **

**"But all she has to do is say that great minds **_**don't**_** think alike…" **

**"**_**No**_**. They both thought the same thing, remember? Or said, whatever. Do you see now?" **

**"But maybe Black didn't know he was trapping her." Evelaire retorted. **

**"Maybe, but it's too late now." **

**"Aren't you going to answer, Yami?" Sirius asked sweetly. **

**"Of course I am, idiot." She answered back, just as sweetly. **

**Kristin folded her hands together, looking remarkably like a person who was about to present her case in the court of law. **

**"I must concur with Mr. Black that he is correct in his theory of great or intelligent minds thinking alike. However…" **

**"Why are you talking like that?" Lily gave her a weird look. **

**Kristin ignored her and continued. **

**"Mr. Black has clearly had a temporary lapse into the world of intelligent, clever, smart, gifted, and intellectual human beings. Rest assured, Mr. Black, that you will return back to normal in a couple of seconds." **

**"Hey!" **

**Kristin disregarded him and plowed on. **

**"So he has had a **_**temporary**_** lapse into intellect and his mind**_** temporarily**_** became great, but only for a short period of time. I rest my case." **

**Sirius scowled at her evasion of a clever trap. **

**"I hate you." He grumbled. **

**Kristin clutched at her heart. **

**"But, Sirius, you can't hate me! I'm distantly related to you!" **

**"Oh, that explains everything. I hate my family." **

**"While I'd love to hear them going on and on and on," James muttered to himself. "It's time to shut them up and get them out of here so Moony's great and terrible secret isn't revealed." **

**James**

**James cleared his throat and prepared to act. He would make Professor Damra Queen proud. **

**"You shouldn't be here!" ****He said, potraying an anxious demeanor**

**His interruption of Sirius's indignant speech "I am too gifted! At Quidditch, at Transfiguration, at DADA, at, well, at, er…" and Kristin's retaliation of "Eating? Belching? Farting? Pranks? Other immature boyish things?" brought a fiery response down on his head. **

**"Why shouldn't we?" Lily retorted back, hands on hips. "After all, if you're entitled to come here, then so are we." **

**"You have to get out!" He insisted. **

**Personally, he didn't give a damn about Evans, but Remus would commit suicide before biting, or otherwise injuring someone. Never mind how annoying, maddening, irritating, and **_**aggravating**_** that someone was. **

**"Give me one good reason." **

**Infuriating, bothersome, exasperating—no. Must remain calm for Moony's sake. Involuntarily, his eyes slid over to where Remus was. Lily's eyes followed his and discovered a violently shaking Remus Lupin. **

**"Remus, are you alright?" She asked, worried. **

**Remus shot him a look that clearly read, "Get them out of here!" **

**Lily stepped forward, only to be stopped by Sirius's arm flung into her path. **

**"What are you doing?" She spat at him and Sirius. **

**Oo, feisty little bugger wasn't she? **

**"You need to take him to the Hospital Wing!" **

**This time, Sirius answered for him, sparing him the laborious task of pounding common sense into her thick head. **

**"No, we don't." **

**Why couldn't one of the more intelligent of her posse communicate with them instead? He silently mourned. Like Yami for instance. James chuckled to himself. He must really check what they put into the food. Communicate with Yami? They'd be so caught up in a debate that three full moons would pass before they noticed anything else. The girl liked to argue. **

**"Where's your loyalty to your friend?" Lily screamed at him. **

**Now, really. That was uncalled for. He was turning into a bloody **_**stag**_** for the bloke and she was accusing him of **_**disloyalty**_**? Hmmph. James was more than a little put out.**

**Agatha and Christi**

**Unnoticed by anyone in the fray, Agatha and Christi exchanged knowing looks. **

**"You hear it?" Christi whispered. **

**"**_**Hear**_** it?" Agatha snorted. "It's deafening me, the way it's howling. It wants out, but Lupin's holding it back." **

**"**_**Honestly**_**," Christi huffed. "The way he's treating the poor thing, you'd think he thought it a curse!" **

**Agatha raised an eyebrow. **

**"Oh, well, fine. His situation is quite different then ours. But seriously, he could treat it better." **

**"Going to start a Werewolf Cruelty Prevention Center, sister dear?" Agatha dryly asked. "I can just imagine people throwing themselves in front of you, begging to work in your Center. Especially the ones that hate werewolves."**

**Peter**

**Peter disliked the Vinci twins very much. First of all, they weren't very friendly in the first place, and secondly and more importantly, they reminded him of a cat and a hawk. Rats, cats, and hawks did not mix well. So naturally he avoided them as much as possible, and naturally, Agatha, the cat-like one, like to tease him. Not in the playful way either. In the cat-and-mouse, I'm-can-eat-you-anytime-I-want-to-and-you're-at-my-complete-mercy way. Christi just watched him. And watched him. It was creepy, the way her golden eyes never blinked when they watched **_**him.**_** Now, he was stuck. It was either get near the two burdens of his life, or get in the cross-fire of verbal war. Yippee. Peter chose the former, and edgily moved close enough to them to hear, "…Werewolf Cruelty Prevention Center, sister dear?" **

**Peter blanched. Did they know? How would they know if they knew?**

**Kristin**

**Kristin was puzzled. And she did not like being puzzled. Why she was puzzled lay herein the way James and Sirius insisted they could not take Remus to the Hospital Wing when he clearly needed to be. **

_**Huurrr-mmmm-hhhhmmm.**_** Kristin thought, tapping a finger against her cheek. **

**She shook her head, annoyed. Completely irrelevant and random thoughts kept popping up in her head. Such as the fact that she had seen Remus eating spinach at dinner, the fact that they had a hell-sorry-**_**heck**_** of a lot of homework waiting for them at the dormitory, and the fact that it was the full moon. Even **_**more**_** redundant. Kristin scoffed, flinging her hair back in irritation. Wait. Full moon + stupid excuses + monthly absences + violent shaking equals...constipation? **

**Kristin shook that stupid, Sirius-like thought out of her head. **

**No…it was something else…Come on, think girl! Menstrual cycles? **

**Gods! When had she turned into the feminine version of Sirius Black? She really had to stop associating with him. **

**Erm…almost there...did she really want to know? Too late now. No. Way. In. Hell. That's…that's…absurd! Ridiculous! Laughable! **_**Impossible. **__**No one **_**in charge of the heavens would curse such a sweet boy with that! But…it all made sense. **

**"And I thought we **_**women**_** had the worst of it." Kristin muttered aloud.**

**Agatha and Christi**

"**Look at Yami's shocked and incredulous face." Agatha smirked to her sister. "I think that she has finally figured it out."**

**Kristin**

**If Remus was a…a…a **_**werewolf**_**, then, then, they had to get out of here. Like James and Sirius had said. **

**"Lily! Listen to the idiots for once! We have to get out of here!" **

**"And leave Remus like—" **

**"Listen to me Lily! If you don't, I'll stun you and levitate you out!" **

**"At least tell me what—" **

**"Later!" **

**With that, Kristin shoved Lily and Evelaire into the hands of Agatha and Christi. Not arguing, they carted Evelaire and Lily out of the room.**

**Remus**

**Oh, damn. Kristin knew. Remus knew it in the way she looked at him, a mixture of pity and revulsion, a mixture that he had come to hate. **

**"Stop it." He told her, his voice rough with the strain of having to hold the change back. "I hate that damn look." **

**Kristin switched her facial expression to one of innocence. **

**"What look?" **

**"Go away." Remus told her, too tired to argue. "Get out of here before I lose control and hurt you." **

**"Oh so big men can stay but itsy-witsy Kristin can't take care of herself, huh? You know, I never knew you were sexist until now…" **

**"Just…" **

**Remus refrained from using a certain phrase he had learned from Sirius when Sirius had learned that his mother had twisted his brother against him. **

**"Get out." He finished lamely. **

**"I—" Remus's self-control snapped. **

**The girl was so **_**pesky**_**. She would argue and argue until she got her way. And still other times, she argued for the fun of it, aggravating the most mildly tempered people. Remus let out a howl of rage. He choked off in the middle surprised. When had he turned? No matter, the wolf mind had already taken over…**

**Kristin**

"**Kristin get out of here **_**now**_**!" James ordered, shoving her behind him. **

**Sirius had already transformed and had galloped to the werewolf. **

**"Illegal Animagi." Kristin softly whistled. "Life time sentence in Azkaban if I'm not mistaken. And it's also a tricky bit of spell work." **

**James was about to scream that she could analyze it later, then he realized that she was trying to distract herself from the fact that Remus was a werewolf and he had lunged for her. **

**"Come on Kristin. That's not really Remus and you know it. Plus the fact that you knew you need to get out." **

**Kristin ignored that (My, she's very good at that isn't she?) and seized the front of his robes. **

**"He'll be alright?" She asked, eyes anxiously searching his own. **

**"He'll be **_**fine**_**. He's done this since he was five. Now go." **

**James shoved her out the door, then locked it, and turned into a stag.**

**Kristin stumbled down the steps breathing heavily. Illegal Animagi, Remus's werewolf secret, the boys' obvious maturity and loyalty tonight was a bit too much to handle. She began to see why people used a pensieve.**

**LALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALA**

**Yeah, I know**** that I promised you more, but heck, do you want this out or not?**

**And Professor Damra Queen was their Drama teacher in fourth year. More about her later. **

**Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is coming out in a month or so. Are you guys going to abandon me? Because, even though I'll change some things to fit with canon, there's essential stuff to the plot that I cannot change and that will probably be very different than canon.**

**nsisdazl**


	3. It's in your hands, reviewers

**I'm thinking about quiting Let Go of the Past and Look into the Future. I'm not sure about that, but what I am sure about is that I am starting a lovely new story. By the way, peoples, you should be thanking maireadnessbitt for saving this story. I was going to stop but she made me reconsider. We'll see.**

**I know you peoples probably want to know why I want to stop. The main reason is that HP7 has come out, and it was totally the opposite of what I was going to write. If I do this, it'll be an alternate universe, and that's not what I planned. I don't think anyone wants to read about Harry going to fight Voldemort when we already know what happened in canon. **

Tell me if I'm right or not,

nsisdazl


	4. The truth comes out

**And I'm back after a **_**very**_** long hiatus. How many people are happy to see me? Oh and, maireadnesbitt? You better join Gmail, or you'll be sorry…. Anyway, this is now, of course, AU. Deal. I never planned it that way, but I'll try.**

**I do not own Harry Potter, and never will, unless J.K. Rowling just randomly appears from the air and bestows the copyright on me. (Fantasizes) **

**Harry**

"I can't _believe_ it!" Ron fumed. "We're of age! And they still hide stuff from us like we're babies!"

Hermione was calmly reading, and Harry was just staring out of the window. Rain sloshed down the windows, and thunder boomed menacingly in the distance. The world was mourning the loss of Dumbledore. And rightly so. How could _he_, Harry Potter, find all seven Horcruxes, battle Voldemort, and vanquish him, when he was nothing but a seventeen year old boy? He might as well just give up already. Harry was a menace to society. Voldemort would rip the world apart to find him. So many people had died because they were in Voldemort's way. Sirius, Cedric, Dumbledore, his mum, his dad, Aurors, innocents, and muggles. Harry let out a defeated sigh, and unknowingly broke up the bickering that had been going on. He knew he would have to go and tell the Order his decision of leaving. He knew they would not be pleased.

"Harry? Where are you going?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"Down." He gestured vaguely to the stairs, and stumped away.

Harry noted the locked door, and acknowledged the fact that they had cast a Silencing Spell that made it impossible to hear anything. Well they could hear him. He raised a fist and banged on the door loudly.

**Remus**

He could barely breathe. Kristin was alive. Truly alive, and impatient, as he could see. Well, he'd be impatient too if two dozen wands were leveled at him. Remus flew out of his chair and hugged Kristin tightly.

"You're alive, you're alive, you're alive…" Remus babbled. "You're not an imposter, you're not a Death Eater, you're Kristin."

Kristin patted him on the back and squeaked out.

"I won't be alive much longer if I can't breathe."

"Right, sorry."

Kristin straightened her robes and said calmly, "About that Death Eater statement…how do you know I'm not?"

Everyone in the kitchen froze, except Remus.

He chuckled and said fondly, "You always had to tweak everyone's robes."

Kristin grinned cheerfully, but shoved up both arms of her robes. Moody inspected her the longest.

"Get Slughorn to make some Veritserum. I want to make sure she's not a spy." He finally grunted out and turned away.

"Slughorn's still teaching?" Kristin's voice was amazed. "The one that favors the children with connections? Bless me, I thought he retired in our seventh year, claiming he got worn out by certain young men styling themselves as the Marauders."

Remus had the grace to blush. "I _tried_ to stop Sirius—"

Kristin let out a snort. "Tried to stop him, of course you did. I saw someone with your height, your way of walking, your way of talking, _encouraging_ him."

"Must have been James." He replied with a straight face.

"James was with Lily at that moment. They were making eyes over dinner. It made me lose my appetite. And you can't claim it was Peter either. He was sitting next to me sniggering. Anymore excuses?"

"You need to check your eyes."

"Why you little—"

BANG, BANG, BANG. Kristin jerked and was on her feet in a flash with her wand out.

"Fast reflexes." Remus commented.

"Yeah…" Kristin muttered.

She put up her wand, where, Remus couldn't see, and sat down.

"Are you going to get that?"

Molly Weasley was already at the door arguing softly.

"_No_, Harry, you can't come in, we're having a meeting—"

"Mrs. Weasley, I know you mean well, but don't make me say what I have to say out here."

Molly gasped and sputtered, but stood aside to let Harry in.

"_James_?" Kristin muttered. "No, got Lily's eyes and is too young."

Remus silently counted down the seconds while Kristin put two and two together. _3…2…1…_ An excited gasp came from her direction.

"Harry Potter?! My, you've grown! Last I saw you; you were a little tyke that had a strange fascination with Remus. Tall, handsome, probably good at Quidditch, favorite class—Transfiguration? No? DADA? Seventh year, right? Any siblings?"

_Whoops_. Remus hadn't had the time to tell Kristin all the events that took place in her absence.

"Are you sure? The way Lily and James stared at each other, you'd think that there'd be at least seven little Potters running around. Is your best friend Neville? No? Funny, I remember Alice saying you two would grow up together. Has Sirius settled down yet? What about Peter? Bethany Claire was interested in him wasn't she? How's Severus doing? What are your teachers like? Your friends? Is classwork hard? Do you—"

"Kristin. I have some things to tell you."

"Well hurry up and spit them out then."

"It might be best if we talk somewhere private."

"What's the matter with here?"

"You might find it preferable—"

"No thanks, I want to stay with my godson, if you don't mind."

"Kristin—"

"How'd you do on your OWLS? Did your father give you his invisibility cloak? Marauder's Map? Wait, that got taken by Filch…"

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Kristin! Voldemort went to Godric's Hallow on Halloween!"

Kristin's steady stream of questions died abruptly.

"_What_ did you say?"

"Lily and James are…"

Kristin let out a burst of hysterical laughter.

"Are you telling me that my best friend and her husband are dead? If you are, then I don't believe you. The gods have seen fit to take three friends from me already, surely…"

Kristin glanced around the kitchen.

"No. Not Lily, anyone but Lily."

"Kristin…"

Remus laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"_Don't touch me._" Kristin spun on her heel. "I'm leaving this mad house."

She gave a half sob and fled through the door. Remus sat down wearily and rubbed his temples.

"That did not go well…"

**Kristin**

_Remus is lying, Remus is lying._ Her mind chanted. _No time to think _why_ Remus would lie, Remus is lying._ **Where am I going?** _Alice. Alice will know._ Kristin took a deep breath and apparated to Alice's mother's house. After all, Kristin didn't know where Alice was living. Augusta would.

Kristin took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A long time passed, then the door timidly opened.

"Yes? Who's there?" A wary voice called out.

"It's me, Augusta! Kristin Yami."

"Kristin Yami is dead."

The door swung shut.

"Please!"

Kristin reached out and caught the door.

"It's really me! I just want to know where Alice is."

"How can you not know? The whole _world_ knows after what happened to her."

The last part was said in a mixture of bitterness and sadness. Kristin's breath caught.

"She's not…dead?"

"Better off dead, then what really happened."

"Then what happened, damn it!"

"How could you not know, if you claim to be one of her best friends? How could you not know, if the whole world knows?"

Kristin was silent for a moment, before taking a deep breath and saying, "I've been a horrible friend, Augusta. Please, tell me. I just want to see a familiar face."

_Especially one that will tell me what really happened instead of some lies. _

"St. Mungo's. Long term ward." The door slammed shut.

"_What_?!"

**Remus**

"Who was that?" Harry demanded. "I have the right to know, after she called me her godson!"

"Kristin Rachel Yami, best friend of your mother, claimed to be in hiding for seventeen years, evidently missed out on a lot of major events…and your godmother." Remus answered.

"Why was she in hiding?"

"I planned to ask her, before she ran off!"

Frustration showed clearly in his voice. Harry groaned.

"First I find out I have a godfather, then he gets killed, then I find out I have a godmother, and she runs off! What is wrong with me?"

"Kristin was always notoriously hardheaded about things she didn't want to know." McGonagall said dryly.

"Where would she go?" Tonks asked. "I mean, there's not many places open to people thought dead for seventeen years, and it's dangerous for a person who doesn't know the situation at hand."

**St. Mungo's**

Kristin stood at the information desk, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Where are Frank and Alice Longbottom?" She asked the information witch.

"On the fifth floor." The receptionist replied, not looking up from the Witch Weekly magazine she was avidly perusing. Kristin nodded her thanks, then turned and headed for the elevator.

The horrible room was occupied by five people, two of them her friends. Kristin could see Frank's dead and apathetic face, and Alice's frazzled features. She let out a choked sob and turned to leave the room. She got halfway there, before falling to the ground.

"Why?!" Kristin half screamed half whispered. "Why have all my friends been cursed? Is it my fault? What did I do to offend the gods to bring such bad luck on people I care for?"

Kristin didn't notice that Alice had turned to look at her at her words and that she kept staring at her, a vaguely puzzled and frustrated look. The sort of look you would give to someone that you know you've seen before, but cannot recall where. The sort where you feel that someone is important, but cannot recall why. Kristin kept sobbing, her face in her hands. _I guess Remus was right about Lily and James. I have to go find out what happened. I must be well informed. There is danger written everywhere. _A soft touch on her shoulder jerked her upright and ready for a fight. Alice stared at her with large startled eyes. Timidly, she gently handed a Drooble's Best Blowing Gum wrapper to Kristin. Her mouth moved open soundlessly spelling out a word. A name. _Kristin._

**Remus**

"Remus, you know her best." Hestia said. "Where do you think she went most likely?"

Remus pondered this for a while.

"Maybe…" He said quietly. "But I don't know if I'm right…"

"Spit it out Lupin!" Moody roared. "Any hunch is better than letting a potentially dangerous loose end wander around stupidly!"

"Augusta Longbottom."

**Augusta Longbottom's house, again**

"What do you want with me, Lupin?" Augusta snarled. "I won't have you putting my family in danger!"

That was enough to break Remus's hold on his temper.

"What about your son Frank? He endangered his family well enough. I thought you felt proud of his "achievements", proud to oppose Voldemort."

"Don't-say-his-name." Augusta hissed. "And Frank did what he had to do. But there's no reason to endanger yourself when there is no gain."

Remus sighed.

"All we want to know is if Kristin was here and then we leave."

"Kristin was here." Augusta snapped. "Or an imposter of her anyway. How can she not know what happened to Alice? I sent her to St. Mungo's. Now go away."

"Thank you, Augusta. I…I'm sorry for what I said about Frank. He was a good man and friend."

Augusta's face softened.

"You're a good man too, Lupin. I apologize as well. I'm just worried about…well…everything."

"We're doing the best we can, Augusta. The best we can."

Remus nodded once to Augusta, then turned and apparated to St. Mungo's.

**Kristin**

"Alice!"

Kristin threw her arms around her and began to cry in earnest.

"Oh, Alice. I hide for seventeen years as such a coward, and look what happened to everyone! You, especially. I could have done something, I could at least of looked for news, but no! Kristin Yami can do no wrong! She hides while her friends fall one by one! Standing in the way of Voldemort, joining the bloody Order of Phoenix, doing what had to be done, and sacrificing themselves for the good! And Kristin just vanishes when everyone needed her the most, doesn't even bother to help the Order, doing nothing, and just sobbing and wailing like a helpless, _useless,_ cowardly, honorless scum!"

**Remus**

He was accompanied by Moody, Tonks, and Harry. All were very insistent on coming with him to find Kristin. Remus could understand Harry's enthusiasm, and at a stretch, Alastor's, but Tonks? Why would she care if Kristin was found other than the detached worry of the Order being discovered? They took the elevator up to the fifth floor, and found Kristin embracing Alice, sobbing loudly.

"Kristin."

Remus laid a tentative hand on Kristin's shoulder, worried that she might throw it off again. Wailing deafeningly, Kristin threw her arms around Remus' neck and buried her face in his robes. Remus could only pat her awkwardly on the back. Sirius was the most experienced one when it came to crying girls; after all he had plenty of practice when he dumped his latest girlfriend. Even with his sharp hearing, Remus could only catch muffled bits of Kristin's bawled words.

"…Lily…James…killed…Voldemort…kill…Bellatrix…hate……Alice…death…why…?!"

Remus looked helplessly at Moody, Harry, and Tonks, Moody and Harry shrugged uneasily, but Tonks rolled her eyes and made a soft exclamation on the stupidity, hardheartedness, and idiocy of men. Shoving Moody and Harry out of the way, she kneeled next to Kristin and started speaking.

"It must be hard coming out of hiding after seventeen years to find that nearly everyone you know is dead…and you must feel so guilty…"

Remus mouthed to Tonks, _Why would she feel guilty? _Tonks scowled and mouthed back a few choice profanities.

"You must think that it's all your fault but you're being selfish….It was _their_ decision to fight, you have to understand that and let go of the past….you have to fight today, look after Harry, make up for it that way …and look into the future."

**It's an update! If you want more, you must convince maireadnesbitt to join Gmail. PM her. What do you think?**

**nsisdazl**


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